Fortifying Automated Response with In-House Threat Research

January 25, 2023

If you’re in charge of automating your defenses against malicious attacks, you may be considering incorporating in-house threat research into your security operations. There are several benefits to doing so, and the first is that you will know what threats to act against before they strike. This can be especially important when you’re facing several different types of malware and other threats.

Ransomware

Ransomware is the latest malware threat to hit the scene. It locks down users’ data and demands a ransom in exchange for decryption. It can target enterprise, public institutions, and even home users.

The technology is evolving fast, and it’s no surprise that the attack surface is growing. Newer versions of ransomware include advanced encryption techniques. They use cryptography and asymmetric RSA encryption to lock down files and demand a ransom.

Security platforms can detect advanced cyber adversaries, neutralize them, and safeguard organization assets. But it can also take a lot of time. That’s why it’s important to keep up with the latest threat trends and implement a robust cybersecurity program that is flexible and easy to manage.

Ransomware is the fastest-growing malware threat. The trend is fuel by the adoption of cloud computing, IoT business devices, and increased remote work.

Phishing

The use of security automation tools is a key part of an effective defense against phishing attacks. They allow for faster and easier triage of phishing alerts, and are use by SOC analysts to reduce human error. Using a security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) platform, analysts can automate the investigation process, freeing them up to focus on more serious threats.

Phishing is an attack method that uses social engineering to trick users into sharing information, downloading malware, or giving out payment card details. These methods can lead to a data breach, and it is important to identify and react to phishing emails in a timely manner.

Malicious actors send spear phishing emails to targeted individuals or groups within an organization. The emails are design to trick recipients into sharing sensitive information and downloading malware.

Malicious insiders

Insider threat is a real cyber security concern for businesses. While it may appear to have less impact than external breaches, insiders can have a far more damaging impact on your data. It’s important to understand the different types of insiders, their behaviors and what they can do.

A malevolent insider works from a position of trust and confines their activities to a certain area of the enterprise. He uses his knowledge of system interworkings to compromise key components and achieve a breach.

A malicious insider can bypass many layers of security and has the capability to cause significant damage. Examples of malicious insider behavior include leaking confidential information, sabotaging networks, and copying files before leaving the organization.

Unlike outsiders, insiders have physical access to your company’s systems. They are more likely to be negligent or malicious in their actions and are also more difficult to detect. They often do not follow proper policies or security protocols.

Government

One of the most important functions of a security operations center (SOC) is detecting and responding to cyberattacks. SOC teams use data generated by security intelligence platforms, including SIEMs, to detect and deter attacks. The SOC also tracks the status of the organization’s compliance with privacy and other regulations.

The SOC is an essential part of the organization’s overall cybersecurity strategy. It may be onsite or outsourced. The SOC is responsible for a host of tasks, from managing communications with appropriate stakeholders to identifying and addressing security vulnerabilities. In the past decade, the number of cyberattacks against corporations has grown. In the second quarter of 2022 alone, global cyber-attacks grew 32%. The SOC must keep up with the latest advances in threat detection, and ensure that the organization remains compliant with regulations.

Processes for conducting in-house threat research

The goal of cyber threat intelligence is to provide actionable knowledge about security threats to cybersecurity professionals. To do this, organizations gather information from a variety of sources. It analyzed to identify patterns and then converted into actionable intelligence. Analysts use these intelligence insights to make better, more informed decisions.

In order to properly process the information, IT teams need to use security intelligence tools. There are two main types. One is in-house threat intelligence, which involves collecting and analyzing data in a company’s own environment. Another is external threat intel, which collected from outside the organization.

When investigating an incident, a security team must evaluate the systems that affected. Once this analysis is complete, they can create a risk model and assign risk values to different asset classes.

Ammar Fakhruddin

ABOUT AUTHOR

Ammar brings in 18 years of experience in strategic solutions and product development in Public Sector, Oil & Gas and Healthcare organizations. He loves solving complex real world business and data problems by bringing in leading-edge solutions that are cost effective, improve customer and employee experience. At Propelex he focuses on helping businesses achieve digital excellence using Smart Data & Cybersecurity solutions.


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